


Unorthodox

by ThighHighAnon



Category: Hannibal (TV), Hannibal - Fandom
Genre: Canon Compliant, Complete, Dirty Dreams, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Hannibal is persistent, Hannibal wants to help Will, Hannigram - Freeform, Hugs, M/M, Masturbation, Unorthodox Therapy, Will Graham - Freeform, hannibal knows this, it turns him on, will dreams about dark shit, will is shy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-07
Updated: 2019-07-07
Packaged: 2020-06-24 03:38:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,100
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19715473
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThighHighAnon/pseuds/ThighHighAnon
Summary: Hannibal suggests unorthodox forms of therapy to try to help Will cope with the stresses of his jobSet before Will discovers Hannibal is the Chesapeake ripper.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> My first time writing for the Hannibal fandom!  
> I hope you like it :)

Will runs a hand through his effortlessly bouncy curls as he approaches the door to Hannibal’s office. Lately, his time with Hannibal has been his only source of comfort. The pressures of the job, paired with his overactive mind, have left him tense and on edge. ‘Nothing out of the ordinary’ he thinks to himself bitterly. One of his few comforts at the minute is the time he spends with Hannibal. Hannibal’s calm demeanour. While previously his peers have been baffled by and cautious of Will’s abilities, Hannibal seems to find him fascinating. Hannibal understands him, which is a foreign concept to Will. And he makes him feel as though the demons in his mind can be beautiful, in their own way. Not just a grotesque but useful existence. He has begun to appreciate the older mans company more and more, enjoys listening to his strong accent as he speaks poetic words about Will’s unique mind. It’s comforting, and Will appreciates it. He never expected to appreciate a psychiatrist analysing his mind, but apparently Hannibal is an exception. 

Will inhales heavily before knocking gently on Hannibal’s office door.

And just like he always does, Hannibal opens the door and greets Will with his usual “Good evening, please come in.”, paired with a warm smile as he stands to the side to allow Will to brush past him. 

“Hello, Dr.Lecter” Will says as he steps past Hannibal and into the familiar warmth of his office. Immediately Will feels more at ease in this uniquely decorated place. There’s something about the dark, neutral shades, the handsome furniture, the unique objects scattered around and the soft light that makes him feel calm.  
Hannibal’s usual immaculate appearance doesn’t go unnoticed by Will, and for a brief second he feels a little underdressed, which is ridiculous because he’s at an unofficial therapy session, not a formal party. But nevertheless, Hannibal’s constant elegance sometimes makes Will think he should run a comb through his hair. He quickly shrugs it off, remembering that Hannibal has told him many times that he wishes for him to be comfortable and at ease in his presence. 

“I’ve been looking forward to seeing you, actually.” Will says, and suddenly feels a little shy. It feels odd to confess that he looks forward to these sessions now, after being so reluctant in the beginning. However he can’t help but let his walls down a little around the man that seems to understand him so well. It’s as though Hannibal can read him like a book- slowly flick through the pages and feel the rough edges, admiring every unique word that they hold. It’s no secret that Will has been waiting to come here and feel the rare acceptance and care that Hannibal can provide. He has a way of making Will feel like he is the most interesting thing in the room. And Will can’t deny that is feels... nice. For so long his abilities have been treated like a tool to be used, Hannibal thinks they are a gift to be admired. And yes, that feels nice. Will knows it would be ridiculous to deny it. 

Hannibal takes a seat in his usual chair, crossing his legs as he takes in Will’s warm confession about wanting to see him. He smiles softly as Will mirrors his actions, taking a seat opposite him and also crossing his legs.  
“While I am pleased that you have been looking forward to our session, as I have, it leads me to believe that you have something on your mind that you have been needing to talk about. Is there something troubling you, Will?”

Will looks at Hannibal, and hazel eyes look back at him intently. Will tries to suppress his nerves. While his relationship with Hannibal has come a very long way, he still feels nervous when it comes to discussing his feelings openly. 

“I don’t know if there’s anything in particular per se, I just...” Will sighs as he tries to explain.  
“I suppose I’ve just been feeling a little overwhelmed lately. My nightmares are worse, my headaches more persistent, I find it harder to sleep, and when I go to work I feel constant pressure from Jack. I want to help so badly but the way my mind attaches to the cases... The way I feel the killers running around my head, it just- it scares me.” “I don’t want to get too close..” Will continues a little shakily, and for a second he feels his eyes threaten to fill with tears, but he quickly blinks them away. Will stops talking for a moment, realises he is rambling. Usually he struggles to open up about these things, but lately it’s all becoming too much. He should have known that once he lifted the gate just slightly, it would all come rushing through, prying it open even more. 

Hannibal sits quietly and patiently as Will speaks. He watches intently as Will’s face shows hints of the pain he is in when he recalls sleepless nights and tormented dreams. His capacity for brutality has never failed to amaze Hannibal. There he sits looking so vulnerable, with a furrowed brow and bouncing curls, and yet in his head lay beautifully dark thoughts. Swimming around in his blood, refusing to leave him. 

Hannibal is always grateful when Will is honest with him. It makes it easier for him to understand and appreciate how unique his mind is. But as Will describes his torment, Hannibal can’t help but resent Jack Crawford for the persistent pressure he puts Will under. He doesn’t want to see him broken. Not at the hands of Jack.  
“When presented with the traumatising experiences and information that your work provides, it is no surprise that your mind struggles to process its surroundings. I suspect most people would become overwhelmed.” 

Hannibal continues, “It is important that you allow yourself rest and relaxation, and experience positives along with the negatives - you must allow your mind to see and feel the pleasures of life, not just the pain.”

Will listens to what Hannibal says, he really does. But the shadows have hooks that dig into his flesh, and no matter how hard he tries to pull them out, they grip relentlessly. 

Hannibal senses Will’s despair as the younger man tries and fails to suppress a sigh. It is clear he feels that he has exhausted all options and is still left haunted. 

Hannibal anticipates Will’s guarded response before he asks, but feels it is arguably relevant to the topic of conversation. If Will allows him to explain.  
“Do you masturbate often, Will?” Hannibal asks casually. Sexual discussions are a normal occurrence during therapy, and Hannibal feels no need to teeter around the question. 

For a moment Will simply blinks, stunned at Hannibal’s calm and casual composure as he asks such an intimate question. The more Will thinks about it, the more he realises that it probably isn’t that much of an intrusive question. Hannibal is a doctor, after all. And he wouldn’t bring it up unless he had a point to go with it, but he can’t help but become embarrassed. Will supposes this is normal for Hannibal, human anatomy is simply that, and Hannibal feels no shame when discussing all of its functions.   
Will knows he’s being coy, but seeing Hannibal sat opposite him so casually, the hint of amusement in his eyes so subtle that Will questions if it is really there, has him feeling exposed and he begins to fidget.  
Will can understand that the question is arguably appropriate due to the nature of the conversation, perhaps even based on medical knowledge of the benefits of masturbation, but that doesn’t stop his palms from beginning to sweat and his eyes to look anywhere around the room but at Hannibal. 

Will stutters as he tries to respond. “I- erm, i don’t know what you- I mean, I just-“ 

“Will,” Hannibal gently interrupts, “I do not wish to make you uncomfortable. If you would rather not discuss anything of a sexual nature with me, I completely understand. I merely think perhaps you should consider the benefits of.. said activity. I imagine it is the last thing on your troubled mind, but there is a possibility that it will help you release-“

Will can’t help but interrupt Hannibal, cringing at the word ‘release’. “Yes, Doctor, I- I understand. I’m not uncomfortable, I just- well I didn’t expect to be discussing this with you today.” Will chuckles, attempting to make the atmosphere more light hearted. 

Hannibal smiles warmly, “Of course, I understand.”  
He can see the boyish look of embarrassment on Will’s face, delights at the blush that has spread over his neck. Hannibal is shocked at how much he is enjoying Will’s response to his question. He likes to see him vulnerable. Hannibal shelves the thought for later. 

“Just something to consider.” Hannibal says innocently as he puts his hands up in a casual surrender and watches Will try to regain his composure. 

They talk for a short while longer, the tension slowly leaving the room. Hannibal is satisfied that he has planted the idea in Wills head, and he looks forward to their next session, hoping he can get Will to discuss this further..


	2. Chapter 2

Will lay in the quiet of his bedroom, the bittersweet darkness of the night surrounding him. The night provided relief from the pressures of the day, along with the enslavement of his nightmares.  
No forts when you lay your head to rest. No protection from the dark side of the mind.  
Will lay shirtless, skin still warm from his almost too hot shower, and he thought of Hannibal. It was an odd time to think of him but despite his unusual advice, Will had found comfort in his other words.  
He found himself drifting off to sleep thinking of him. 

~ He could feel the blood running down his body, each droplet felt different to the other. It swam over his chest, painting him a deep crimson. It was still warm. Hands followed its trail, strong hands. Gripping him everywhere and anywhere. He could hear himself moan as those hands pulled deliciously on his unruly curls, staining them with the blood, just like the rest of him ~ 

Will usually found himself waking suddenly and sharply from his dreams. Not this time. This dream was different. It wasn’t a nightmare. Or maybe it was. It concerned him that he couldn’t tell.   
Will rose out of his sleep slowly, flashes of red dancing around his head. His eyes fluttered open as he felt the last few droplets trickle down his chest, past his hipbones and into his dark, curly, wiry hair- 

The perfect time to be woken fully by his alarm clock blaring impatiently. 

He reached over and turned it off, rubbing his eyes and stretching. Despite his disturbingly pleasant dream, Will had slept fairly well. And he was reluctant to leave the warmth of his sheets. He turned to lay on his front as he curled back into his covers and allowed himself to relax back into his sleepy state.  
It was then as he rubbed himself ever so slightly into the mattress that he realised he was aroused.  
He tried to casually convince himself in his head that it had nothing to do with his ‘unusual’ dream, it was just ‘morning wood’. But it sounded weak to him, even as he thought it.   
He shifted and felt the sweet friction from his sheets underneath him, and was filled with guilt and he felt a pang of pleasure shoot through him. He couldn’t lie to himself. How could he get off to that, why would that arouse him? He felt betrayed by his own body. His own mind. 

Hannibal’s words found themselves sneaking into Will’s head, appearing so stealthily that Will almost didn’t recognise the foreign voice as his. 

You must allow your mind to see and feel the pleasures of life

Will’s hips seemed to roll of their own accord, searching for the friction. He buried his head in his pillows as he told himself that it was okay to feel pleasure, even if it is sourced from a ‘different’ kind of dream.  
He moaned softly as he gave in and began to rock his hips, grinding into the mattress.  
It felt so good to let go, to feel that swirling heat in his stomach. 

Will couldn’t control the quiet moans that were leaking out of his mouth, troubled by the fact that it was a combination of Hannibal’s words and his own disturbing fantasies that were getting him off. He could hardly pay attention to the rational side of his mind as the shadows within him wrapped themselves around him and covered him in sinful thoughts as he came all over his sheets. 

Will’s heart began to calm down as he panted his way down from his high. 

He suddenly regretted asking Hannibal for a morning appointment. He was going to see him in just a couple of hours, how could he face him? 

It was only when Will was in his car, half way to Hannibal’s beautiful home, when he realised he hadn’t showered before leaving, and he thanked himself for showering before he went to bed. 


	3. Chapter 3

Hannibal opened his office door to Will, observing a hint of nervousness written on his face.  
Hannibal greeted him warmly and invited him into the room, noting the unusual scent Will carried with him as he brushed passed him. Salty and... hm, Hannibal smirked to himself.  
They sat opposite each other as Hannibal allowed Will to shuffle around a little, making himself comfortable and giving himself time to breathe. 

“How are you feeling, Will? Have you thought any more about what we discussed in our last session?” Hannibal asked with a slight smile.  
He wished to keep the conversation light hearted after Will’s response to the topic last time. His small smile was half to reassure Will that he was in a relaxed atmosphere, and half out of amusement. It excited him to see Will affected in this way. He wanted to know how far he could push it. Wanted to know how many shakes of the vending machine it would take to get the treats to come spilling out. 

Will returned the smile, clearly trying to appear confident.  
“Many interesting suggestions were made, I appreciate the advice, doctor.”  
“I hope you have considered my advice carefully.” Hannibal responded coolly, running his eyes quickly over Will, noting how he tried and failed to avoid squirming under Hannibal’s gaze. 

Hannibal couldn’t help himself as he asked, “I trust you have had a pleasant morning?”  
He was treading carefully, knowing that his question could simply be part of polite conversation, perhaps wondering if he had taken his pack of strays on a stroll in the morning sun. His question could also be about whether or not Will had taken his advice about masturbating.  
It was probably the former. Probably.  
Will considered Hannibal’s words. Part of him believed he was asking out of flirtatious curiosity, but the other part of him told him that Hannibal’s question was just an innocent query.  
“Yes it was..” Will decided to be brave after seeing Hannibal’s face fail to hide his smugness and finding himself ever so slightly frustrated at it, “a pleasurable morning.” 

Hannibal smirked, enjoying Will’s attempt at defying his shyness on the topic.  
“So you have indeed discovered the psychological benefits of masturbation?”  
Will began to shuffle in his seat again.  
Why does he talk about it so casually?  
“I suppose you could say that, it makes sense that to relieve tension you should try to..” “Experience climactic pleasures.” Hannibal finished for him. Will simply avoided eye contact and nodded ever so slightly.  
“And yet you still find yourself dissatisfied?” Hannibal pushed, he could smell that Will had indeed indulged as Hannibal had suggested, but was perhaps not happy with the result.  
Will’s breath shook a little as he tried to treat this as a normal conversation. Although he supposed abnormal conversations with a man you are, arguably, in an abnormal relationship with is a normal occurrence.  
Will was quickly learning that it was difficult to lie to Hannibal, if not impossible. Hannibal could peer into the cracks of Will’s mind. He could see beyond what Will showed to everyone else. Hannibal wanted to entirely release what he could see glimpses of in Will, wanted to see them come rushing out in all their glory. Others wanted to contain Will’s uniqueness, let just enough out to be useful and keep the rest hidden away. Hannibal didn’t want any part of Will hidden away. He was fascinated and intrigued by those hidden parts in his mind.  
He wanted to stride into the maze and find himself lost there. 

Will focused on keeping his voice steady as he decided to give in and let Hannibal have his fun.  
“It’s not that the thing itself isn’t.. satisfying. It just- it feels wrong sometimes because- well my mind can wonder else where while I’m-. If I do feel anything, it’s guilt.” Will finished and found himself proud of his newfound ability to discuss this with Hannibal. I suppose this is what a therapist is for, right?  
“Why guilt?” Hannibal asked curiously.  
“Like I said, my mind drifts off to different places. Places I can’t seem to let go of. Even when trying to distract myself with- that activity..”  
“Where does your mind go, Will? Tell me about these places that cause you shame.”  
“It’s not necessarily the places themselves that cause shame, I know that my empathetic abilities make it difficult to detach myself from dark places when Jack sends me to them.  
It’s the thought of experiencing pleasure while my mind is still lingering there. I shouldn’t get- something.. from that.”  
Hannibal was beginning to understand more.  
“There is pleasure to be found in dark places, Will. As light is found in the darkness and warmth in the fire.”  
“There is nothing wrong with finding satisfaction in unconventional places.” He continued with a reassuring smile. Hannibal could see the hesitant curiosity on Will’s face. He wanted to be reassured that his thoughts were acceptable, even if just to Hannibal.  
Hannibal leant forward in his chair as he spoke, “Will, I want you to tell me what you saw this morning as you engaged with my advice.”  
Will felt himself blush furiously at Hannibal’s words, this was becoming too much. He couldn’t look back at Hannibal’s curious, glowing gaze.  
“Did you see darkness, Will?” Hannibal asked in a quiet voice, his tongue involuntarily running itself over his bottom lip.  
“I saw rivers of red” Will replied, so quietly Hannibal almost missed it.  
He felt himself twitch at the memory, it had felt so good to swim in the Red Sea, why had it felt so good.  
“I see rivers of red too, they paint crimson strokes, just like yours.” Hannibal replied quietly.  
Will resisted the urge to pinch at his skin, trying his best to remain calm.  
“Do you find pleasure in them?” Will asked, his voice catching as he recounted how he had felt, guilt filling his head.  
This was Hannibal’s chance to reassure Will that he found more than just pleasure in his dark fantasies.  
“I find, when you reach your hand out, and let the red droplets fall into it, you can feel warmth and depth. You can feel power.”


	4. Chapter 4

Will was preparing for his evening appointment with Hannibal. It was a week after their sessions had taken an unusual turn.  
He hadn’t ‘indulged’ since then, but Hannibal’s words had remained oddly comforting to him. Perhaps he wasn’t alone in the darkness? Hannibal had always been unusual, and showed a clear fascination with Will’s pet demons. Or rather, not pet demons, Wild and feral demons, that stalked him relentlessly.  
He could feel the pressure building up again, Jack had been extra persistent that he find a triple murderer, no matter how far he had to dig into their torturous head.  
And with a week without Hannibal’s guidance, he was feeling the effects.  
He made a half attempt at taming his unruly curls but quickly gave up as he grabbed his keys and strode to his car. 

Hannibal sat patiently waiting for his troubled Will.  
He felt that their recent sessions had only made them closer, and increased Hannibal’s ‘obsession’ -as Bedelia called it- even further.  
He just knew that there were all sorts of deliciously dark thoughts running around Will’s head, so desperate to come out and play.  
But Will was stubborn. He fought against them.  
Hannibal wanted to change that. His thoughts were interrupted by Will’s small knock on the door. 

Will’s distress was apparent and Hannibal silently cursed and thanked Jack simultaneously. He was pushing Will to the edge, and Hannibal was eagerly waiting to catch him.  
They sat opposite each other, their chairs close enough together that it wouldn’t take much to reach over- made possible cause of a small change in the positioning of the furnishings to make the room more ‘cosy’.  
Hannibal studied Will, paying attention to every beaten down detail. Will was exhausted.  
“I’m worried about you Will, you seem worn down.” Hannibal said gently, offering comfort to the younger man and hoping he wouldn’t take offence at his observations.  
“Jack has been relentless about finding this killer.. I think I’m getting closer but- it’s psychologically draining. My head hurts.“ Will said weakly. Will continued in despair, “I can feel my body mirroring my mind, starting to give in to the aches and pains. I can feel myself getting worse.” He spoke with a wobbly voice, his eyes nervously trying to avoid locking with Hannibal’s. He ran a hand through his messy curls and sighed heavily. Clearly feeling useless and lost, clueless about what to do.  
Hannibal eyed him sincerely. He cared about Will. More than he’d like to admit. His feelings went beyond fascination - he admired and adored Will. It hurt to see him like this. 

Will became slightly uncomfortable with Hannibal’s silence as he sat observing Will sympathetically, thinking of the right words to say. Will decided to stand and move around a little, if anything to ignore the way his fingers were trembling.  
Hannibal rose shortly after him, slowly prowling in his direction.  
He approached with a sympathetic look as Will turned to face him. “I want to help you, Will. I can. If you ask me to.”  
Will saw a glimmering in Hannibal’s eyes as he came closer, offering his help.  
“How?” Will replied, his voice cracking out of desperation for the possibility of peace, instead of the constant caos.  
Hannibal stepped closer, placed a hand on will’s shoulder and gently brushed his thumb over the crisp blue shirt Will was wearing.  
His hand was warm and strong and gentle in its movements.  
Will’s eyes flickered, threatening to close as he fought not to lean into the touch. He had been starved of physical contact for an extremely long time, too tortured by his stressful life to even consider seeking it out. It felt nice. To have someone comfort him. Emotionally and physically.  
Hannibal tested the waters, running his hand down Will’s arm as he ever so gently pulled him a little closer, his arms spread a little and a soft, tender look on his face - offering a hug.  
Baby steps.  
Will felt tears threaten to fill his eyes at the sweet gesture. Life was impossibly stressful for him, and the thought of sinking into the older mans strong arms was just too much to resist - toxic masculinity gender stereotypes be damned; his friend was offering him a comforting hug during a desperately difficult time, and he was going to take it.  
Will gave in, stopped fighting, just for a moment. Just a moment.  
He sunk into Hannibal’s warm, secure embrace. Felt his strong, surprisingly muscular, arms wrap protectively around him. Smelt his expensive aftershave, and basked in his body heat. He felt.. safe.  
Hannibal made him feel safe.  
He sighed contently, feeling a lump in his throat but refusing to cry.  
The room was filled with a soft orange glow that wrapped around Will just as Hannibal did.  
He closed his eyes and pushed his face into Hannibal’s chest, hearing the sound of his strong heart. Hannibal breathed in the scent of Will deeply, smelling his coconut shampoo. He ran a hand over those beautiful, dark curls, and delighted in the way he felt Will grip at his shirt as tingles, no doubt, ran through him.  
“Will, all you ever need to do is ask.” Hannibal spoke softly, stroking down Will’s strong, tired back- feeling the tense muscles become more relaxed.  
Will felt like he could stay in Hannibal’s arms forever. Maybe this was what he needed? After all, human beings are social animals that require physical contact. And he had deprived himself of that for so long. Bigger fish to fry.  
Will went to pull away, and found his body fighting against him, drawing him back towards Hannibal. One more second.  
He nuzzled slightly into the tall mans neck, feeling the gentle scratch of stubble on his cheek, before scolding himself for being too intimate and pulling away properly.  
Will looked up into Hannibal’s hazel eyes, incredibly dark in the low light.  
He felt warmth towards him. Hannibal had shown him true kindness. He could hardly go to Jack and say, ‘you know, I’ve been feeling overwhelmed lately- do you think I could have a hug?’. No. This moment was special. One he could only share with Hannibal.  
“Thank you.” He said quietly, telling himself over and over in his head not to be embarrassed. Hannibal was the one who suggested it after all, he wanted to comfort him.  
“I mean that.” He continued, “thank you, Hannibal.”  
Hannibal smiled warmly down at Will, fighting so hard the urge to brush a thumb over Wills cheek.  
“Like i said,” he returned softly, “you only need to ask.”


	5. Chapter 5

Will enters Hannibal’s grand office with a polite smile, his hair pushed away from his face, exposing his delicate yet striking features.  
He has gradually found more and more comfort in being here, in Hannibal’s curious company. There is a mysterious yet calming aura around him.  
Hannibal apologises for needing a moment to clear away some papers, but Will reminds him that he is the one at fault as he arrived a little early, and tells Hannibal to take his time.  
Besides, it allows Will to fully appreciate his surroundings. Even the walls are aesthetically pleasing here. The walls. Is that even possible?  
Will finds himself admiring Hannibal’s fine and elegant taste. Not just when it comes to interior design, but his tastes in music, art, food, all of the finer things really.  
He is such a sophisticated man and it occurs to Will that he might never have seen a hair on Hannibal’s head out of place.  
He suddenly has the rather intrusive thought of how satisfying it would be to see the silver perfection roughed up a little.  
He decides to focus his attention on the small, dark brown statue of a stag. 

Hannibal finishes what he is doing and sits down opposite Will, graciously placing one leg over the other in his usual elegant way. Will finds it a little annoying, actually. The constant ‘put togetherness’. ‘Does he every just lounge about on the sofa?’ he thinks to himself and finds amusement at the thought. 

Hannibal notices Will’s eyes trail over his body and the small smile that follows. “Have i amused you?” He asks curiously, with a small smile too.  
“Just thinking about how well you always seem to hold yourself. You have the air of a man who never relaxes.” Will says honestly.  
Honesty has been something that they have both been practicing with each other lately. Will has been honest about things that he never thought he’d talk about with Hannibal. 

“I can assure you,” Hannibal says with a well hidden devilish smirk, “I find ways to indulge myself.”

With that said, he finds Will’s eyes and eagerly awaits the blush that is to come at his next question,  
“And what about you, Will. Have you indulged lately?”.  
He smirks subtly as he sees Will visibly tense. Still shy about discussing the pleasures that Hannibal so wants him to explore.  
“I went fishing yesterday.” Will says casually, either not understanding Hannibal's playful remark, or understanding but choosing to avoid the topic of any other kind of pleasure he may indulge in.  
“I am glad you are taking time for yourself.” Hannibal replies politely.  
“Have you found yourself needing more respite from the job lately?” He asks, already knowing the answer.  
“Yes.” Will replies simply. Because there isn’t really anything else to add. Just ‘yes’ - his job is impossibly stressful and he finds himself trying to find distractions more often than usual. 

“Has it been helping? Participating in these leisurely activities, I mean.”  
“I guess so.” Will replies unconvincingly.  
Hannibal replies with a simple omniscient hum. 

Will finds that he can’t stop his next words from coming out of his mouth any more than he can figure out where they suddenly came from.  
“It helped- I mean, erm- what we did before.”  
Will mentally kicks himself as he quickly becomes aware of how his wording could sound. It sounds like some kind of innuendo to say ‘what we did before’ and so much more intimate than what had actually happened. An innocent hug made to sound like a night of passion.  
Will begins stuttering an apology at the awkward wording, his neck becoming awfully hot and his cheeks flushing crimson.  
Hannibal is delighted. To say the least.  
The look of embarrassment on will’s face at such a simple mistake of misleadingly placed words causing him such distress. Hannibal chuckles and smiles reassuringly, “it’s quite alright, Will. I understand perfectly.”  
“I’m glad what we did together helped you.” Hannibal adds, because he just can’t - just can’t - resist teasing Will, even if just a little bit. 

Will didn’t think it was possible to flush any further, but evidently it was. 

He takes a deep breath and rises from his seat, chuckling softly. 

Hannibal smiles warmly as he too silently rises and follows Will, amused at his habit of wondering around the room as they talk. 

Hannibal moves so quietly that Will doesn’t feel him come up closely behind him as he gazes contently out of the window. He opens his mouth to speak as he turns around swiftly, only to find himself cut off as he bumps straight into Hannibal’s firm chest.  
Hannibal smirks at Will’s clumsiness, assuring him that it’s quite alright as the shorter man apologies quickly, having to tilt his chin up to address Hannibal due to the close proximity.  
Will notices that Hannibal isn’t making any attempt to move. They are stood so close to each other that Will can feel Hannibal’s body warmth radiating onto his own smaller frame, can feel his breath on his cheek and smell his most likely very expensive aftershave.  
Will looks up at him through dark eye lashes and finds a breath caught in his throat as Hannibal reaches an arm out to him and places it just below his elbow, as though supporting him.  
“Are you alright?” Hannibal asks, at first appearing concerned at Will’s sudden inability to move but Will can see the glint in his eyes. He’s enjoying the effect he has.  
“Uh, yeah, sorry.” Wills mutters again with a shy smile, taking just the slightest of steps back so that the distance between them is acceptable but still unusually close. He isn’t sure why. 

Hannibal seems to think for a moment before he asks, “Would you like me to hold you again?”. It’s said with the most frustratingly casual voice.  
When Will doesn’t immediately reply, Hannibal adds, “As it helped you the last time, I mean. If physical contact is what comforts your troubled mind, then I would be more than happy to give you what you need.”  
Again, said with the most clinical tone but laced with suggestion. It’s the type of tone that could very well have hidden meaning, but can so easily be claimed as innocent when questioned about it. It leaves Will confused as he tries to find a response.  
“It’s quite normal, you know.” Hannibal says reassuringly as he slowly runs a hand down Will’s arm.  
“To find comfort in contact. It’s a natural instinct. Human beings require contact, Will.” “Please do not be ashamed.” He adds in a quiet, sincere, and soothing voice, meant only for Will’s ears.  
Will can’t seem to stop his eyelids from fluttering closed, too humiliated to look Hannibal in the eyes but too warmed by his touch to protest.  
Hannibal’s words seem so rational. Maybe he is right. There’s nothing inappropriate about it. Just a natural need.  
The attempts in his head at justifying his overwhelming hunger to fall into Hannibal’s touch are interrupted by Hannibal stepping even closer. Bringing a hand to the back of Will’s head and stroking through his curls as Will gives in and rests his face in the crook of Hannibal’s neck.  
Both of Hannibal’s arms are now securely around him, his body pressed completely against Will’s.  
His lips brush against Wills ear as he whispers into it, “it’s okay, you don’t have to say it out loud just yet.” Will feels an unnecessary amount of shivers run through him as Hannibal’s lips brush over his ear as he speaks and his words run gently into his ear like a purr. He sighs with relief as Hannibal reassures him that he does not have to vocalise his need for human touch. At least, not ‘yet’. 

His hands seem to cling onto Hannibal’s shirt of their own accord, and he is unable to stop the soft, quiet ‘hmph’ so quiet it is almost unheard, that slips from his lips as Hannibal’s stubble once again brushes against his cheek. It’s difficult to describe the sense of security that Will feels, there in Hannibal’s arms. When Hannibal shifts slightly, it makes his groin line up closer to Will’s, and while rationally Will tells himself that the movement was innocent, it creates a friction that Will finds very difficult to ignore. His grip tightens and he hides his head under Hannibal’s chin, embarrassed by the faint flicker of arousal that he briefly feels. Hannibal notices Will’s embarrassment as he runs his hands up and down his back, rubbing soothing circles into Will’s muscles. Hannibal can see Will’s internal fight. It feels nice to allow himself physical comfort from another person, but at the same time he feels ashamed by the fact that this is something that he needs. “I have told you not to be embarrassed, Will.” He says as he leans back a little so he can lift Will’s chin up gently and smile at him warmly and reassuringly. The eye contact is too much for Will, it makes him feel small and like things are getting too intimate. He pulls back and releases himself from Hannibal’s grasp, and Hannibal of course takes a polite step back - giving Will space. “I hope I have not made you uncomfortable.” Hannibal says gently, as Will stands a little awkwardly. “No, Of course not, the opposite actually. I really do appreciate you being here for me and, it’s actually nice to have a hug when things get too much.” Will says with a slight laugh, he needs the atmosphere to go back to casual. Hannibal’s smiles too, “You are only human, after all. Comfort is something we all need.” He says rationally. And he can see how it makes the tension leave Will’s shoulders. Makes him relax again. Will let’s out a sigh and runs his hands down the front of his shirt - correcting himself. “Thank you.” He says quietly and as ‘normally’ as he can manage. “I know it’s not exactly in the job description to hug a patient when they’re stressed.” He says with a laugh again. Hannibal smiles too but Will knows he is being serious when he says, “You are not officially my patient Will, but you are my friend. And I am here for you.” Will is shocked by the sincerity and smiles warmly, he briefly wonders how often Hannibal would be willing to pull Will into his arms after a stressful day. It’s a surprisingly nice thought.


End file.
